Get used to the sight of the new E-Pace, Jaguar’s second and smallest-ever SUV. It’s all set to become the firm’s best-selling model, simply because it’s the right car at the right time. As its larger sibling, the F-Pace, is currently itself the British firm’s best-seller, it means off-road-look Jags are going to become an ever-more familiar sight.

Sorry about that, sports car enthusiasts. Double apologies, for the car we’re driving here is likely to be the best-seller: the 177bhp 2.0-litre turbodiesel, complete with four-wheel drive and nine-speed automatic. The E-Pace is derived from the Land Rover Discovery Sport, is built in Austria and, no matter how it drives, is set to become one of the must-have cars of 2018.

Visually, it’s easy to see why. The E-Pace is a very good-looking car; it may lack the F-Pace’s elegance, but its more cutesy appearance is still attractive, and the interior is probably the best of any modern Jaguar – more stylish than any German rival, even if it’s not ergonomically as well-honed. Oh, and rear seat space isn’t what it could be, either.

Perhaps predictably, given its ageing Land Rover underpinnings, it’s also not as hot as it could be to drive. It isn’t as crisp and well-developed as a normal Jaguar, feeling somewhat mediocre compared to them. It’s good enough to take on its rivals, but can’t lay claim to being a true Jag.

It’s slow, as well. It barely crawls under 10 seconds for the 0-62mph dash – a BMW X1 alternative is almost two seconds quicker. Blame the unfathomably heavy kerbweight: the E-Pace weighs more than the larger F-Pace, which is hard to believe until you clock the fact it’s made from steel rather than aluminium. A fussy automatic gearbox hardly helps prowess either.

In fairness, handling is pretty decent, with a tied-down body that offers good control and agility in corners. But there’s a price to be paid for this – a stiff ride that feels particularly jarring at slower speeds. Given how many of them will be driven in town, this could be a bit of a stumbling block for some.

It’s much better at motorway speeds, though, and this iteration of Ingenium diesel engine is also more refined than earlier versions, with less clatter and rattle. It means that, all told, the E-Pace is quite a nice steer, and a perfectly pleasant place to spend time.

We thus reckon it’s a four-star car. It’s not a classic Jaguar, but it’s more than good enough to take on other models in this class, with the looks and interior to help it stand out even when compared to talented alternatives such as the BMW X1 and Audi Q3. Even humdrum performance and a bitty low-speed ride are not enough to hinder it: we have no hesitation in agreeing with predictions that it will become a very popular Jaguar indeed.